In order to Elevate your life we work with a simple set of 5 principles that serve to rise you to your fullest potential and create a long lasting transformation. Today I will be talking about the second principle: health, and the 3 most important tools to discovering that radiant health glow.

Let's start at the beginning and think about the value of your life…

The first gift you receive is your health, let’s say this is accounts to 1.

Now we can add on extra zeros to account for all of the other aspects of our lives.

A 0 for wealth, a 0 for career, a 0 for romance, another for family etc. You get the picture.

Your number will probably be around 100,000 now, if not more...

Now lets take away the 1, what do you have? Just zeros.

This analogy really shows us how health is our wealth and one of our most important assets so we need to really learn to protect it. Because let’s face it, without our health we have nothing.

Ultimately the goal is not just to be fit from working out but to be healthy. In our modern day world a lot of emphasis is put on the staying fit and looking in shape but less attention is given on understanding health.

The 3 keys to a healthy body are: Oxygen, Water and Waste Elimination. Because cells are living organisms vital to human life, they have basic needs for their survival. These are the 3 things that cells need to survive and thrive.

1. Oxygen

Oxygen is one of the most important elements required to sustain life. Without it, our health begins to suffer and/ or we die. In the modern world we find our breathing becoming shallower due to the stresses and strains of life. As you will know from Part 1 of this series we spoke about grounding through meditation, this is a very good way to draw attention to the breath and bring in fresh oxygen.

Oxygen provides us so many benefits:

Heightens concentration, alertness and memory

Oxygen gives you energy! 90% of our energy comes from oxygen, and only 10% from food and water

Oxygen is vital to your immune system, memory, thinking and sight

Promotes healing and counters aging

Strengthens your heart, reducing the risk of heart attacks

Calms your mind and stabilizes your nervous system

Speeds up the body's recovery after physical exertion

Provides a natural remedy for headaches, migraines and hangovers

Relieves temporary altitude discomfort

Improves digestion and cell metabolism

Relieves muscle stiffness, supports athletic performance

Lessens Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Gives you better sleep patterns

All very good reasons for us to hone our meditation or yoga practices and reconnect to the breath. The breath is life and the most vital gift we own.

Dr Weil provides a number of easy techniques to try out all which can easily be incorporated into your daily meditation practice: Breathing Exercises.

2. Water

The amount of water in the human body ranges from 50-75%. The average adult human body is 50-65% water, averaging around 57-60%. The percentage of water in infants is much higher, typically around 75-78% water, dropping to 65% by one year of age.​Source: Thought Co

Water serves multiple purposes:

Water is the primary building block of cells.

It acts as an insulator, regulating internal body temperature. This is partly because water has a high specific heat, plus the body uses perspiration and respiration to regulate temperature.

Water is needed to metabolize proteins and carbohydrates used as food. It is the primary component of saliva, used to digest carbohydrates and aid in swallowing food.

The compound lubricates joints.

Water insulates the brain, spinal cord, organs, and fetus. It acts as a shock absorber.

Water is used to flush waste and toxins from the body via urine.

Water is the principal solvent in the body. It dissolves minerals, soluble vitamins, and certain nutrients.

Water carries oxygen and nutrients to cells.

Considering our body it’s mostly made up of water it will come as no surprise that our brain is around 75% water and when we get dehydrated it shrinks! Studies have been conducted that show it’s possible that our mood is also affected when we are dehydrated. Not drinking enough water appears to be associated with such problems as falls and fractures, heat stroke, heart disease, lung disorders, kidney disease, kidney stones, bladder and colon cancers, urinary tract infections, cavities, decreased immune function, and cataract formation.

All the more reason to make sure you aim to drink around 2 litres per day. I personally start every day with a huge glass of lemon and ginger water, especially since we are extra dehydrated first thing in the morning.

3. Waste Elimination

The type of food we eat contributes to how well we are able to eliminate waste. Are you eating a diet rich in nutrient dense foods or are you scrimping?

Only you can know how well you are serving your body in this area.

My personal preference is to eat a vegan, whole foods, plant based diet. All the fresh fruits and vegetables contribute to expanding your consciousness too, something I discovered during my Saturn Return and talk about more in my book Twenty8: The Age of Power.Why a vegan plant-based diet? As shared in my story there are many reasons we should be opting for a plant-based diet, some of main reasons are:

1. For your healthThe China Study, remains the largest and most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and proves that a plant based diet is prolonging lives. And the USFDA recognizes both vegan and vegetarian diets as the healthiest diets of all due to low cholesterol and less health problems.

2. Lowers Risk of DiseaseEating a plant-based diet has been linked to lower risk of obesity and many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammation and cancer.

3. Increased EnergyFeeling lethargic? This probably has a fair amount to do with your diet. Ditching meat means finding replacements that offer more nutrients and a more even delivery of energy throughout the day. Get ready to start waking up before your alarm!

4. Clearer, More Youthful SkinA plant-based diet high in essential fatty acids and skin clearing vitamins like C and A can help your inner beauty shine through. I personally noticed how much clearer and youthful my skin looked after switching. Also I have a friend who has been vegan for almost 20 years and he looks like he is late 20’s when he is in fact 40!

5. Saving the planetAccording to Cowspiracy, just one day on a vegan diet means you will have saved:

1 animals life

1,100 gallons of water

30 sq ft of forested land

45 pounds of grain

It's time to restock...

How are you nourishing your body?

Do you take the time to breathe, hydrate and feed your soul every day?

Maybe you are already halfway there and now have more awareness about your eating habits or breathing patterns or maybe you’ll just start drinking more water in the morning.

Remember without our health we only have zeros in the bank.

I hope that you found these tools valuable in learning how to create your health glow. I will be back with Part 3 of this 5 Part series where I will share how to own your power.